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by Mark Taylor, CMPA Board member
The dust has settled on the budget year 2013 (October 1, 2012 – Sept 30, 2013) and the results are phenomenal for the most hotly debated public project in Northwest Florida, the Community Maritime Park. Many who read the PNJ have read articles about budget deficits as well as other reader’s comments and posts about “millions” of dollars draining our city coffers.
The real truth is the CMPA realized only a $170,000 deficit in its second year of operations! With over 350,000 guests attending over 100 diverse and multi-cultural events, I’d say a 48 cent per head deficit isn’t too bad! Even if you factor in the CRA’s bond payments on the development, you are still under a combined $8.50 per event attendee subsidy that undeniably has increased our quality of life and has helped spur on further development in our community!
Don’t worry though, the Community Maritime Park Board of Trustee’s is working tirelessly to increase revenue and to decrease and eventually eliminate any public subsidy of the Community Maritime Park!
The City of Pensacola set aside $320,000 to offset the CMPA’s operating budget and nearly half was returned to the City unused! In addition to the returned money, the CMPA was able to raise and set aside $212,000 in its Capital Maintenance Fund to continually prepare for the upcoming expenses that will be required to keep Pensacola’s Award Winning Waterfront Stadium in pristine condition. At this rate, the CMPA should be in the black with no City subsidy for operations by fiscal year 2016!
So the bottom line is, if we figure the total cost, we paid 8.50 for every dude and dudette to go to a Blue Wahoo game? Damn!!! I have to be wrong.
The dust has settled on the budget year 2013 (October 1, 2012 – Sept 30, 2013) and the results are phenomenal for the most hotly debated public project in Northwest Florida, the Community Maritime Park. Many who read the PNJ have read articles about budget deficits as well as other reader’s comments and posts about “millions” of dollars draining our city coffers.
The real truth is the CMPA realized only a $170,000 deficit in its second year of operations! With over 350,000 guests attending over 100 diverse and multi-cultural events, I’d say a 48 cent per head deficit isn’t too bad! Even if you factor in the CRA’s bond payments on the development, you are still under a combined $8.50 per event attendee subsidy that undeniably has increased our quality of life and has helped spur on further development in our community!
Don’t worry though, the Community Maritime Park Board of Trustee’s is working tirelessly to increase revenue and to decrease and eventually eliminate any public subsidy of the Community Maritime Park!
The City of Pensacola set aside $320,000 to offset the CMPA’s operating budget and nearly half was returned to the City unused! In addition to the returned money, the CMPA was able to raise and set aside $212,000 in its Capital Maintenance Fund to continually prepare for the upcoming expenses that will be required to keep Pensacola’s Award Winning Waterfront Stadium in pristine condition. At this rate, the CMPA should be in the black with no City subsidy for operations by fiscal year 2016!
So the bottom line is, if we figure the total cost, we paid 8.50 for every dude and dudette to go to a Blue Wahoo game? Damn!!! I have to be wrong.
